"The Transvestite and His Wife" First Person Account by Trans Activist Virginia Prince

Virginia Prince

First Edition

Prince, Virginia. The Transvestite and His Wife. Los Angeles, 1967. First edition, second printing. 142 pages. Dark blue gradient paperback with pink text. Virginia Prince was a transgender woman and activist who began her identity expression at the age of 12. As an adult, Prince began working as a research assistant and lecturer in pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco after going through a divorce from her wife and being disowned by her socialite parents because of her identity. During this time, Prince took advantage of the university's small collection of medical literature on transvestism. She started the magazine Transvestia with 100 dollars in donations, and the publication grew to become the first widely distributed transgender and cross-dressing magazine. The Transvestite and His Wife is written in six sections which explore the difficulties and benefits of heterosexual relationships in which one partner engages in transvestism; Section I: Introduction to the Subject of Transvestism, Section II: Problems of Understanding and Adjustment, Section III: Other Viewpoints, Section IV: Letters from Wives of Transvestites, Section V: Transvestism and Children, and Section VI: Epilogue. Prince writes from her perspective as a trans woman attracted to women and incorporates letters written by cross-dressers and partners of cross-dressers to her magazine Transvestia. The book attempts to dispel myths which equate transvestism with homosexuality or even necessarily with the desire for a sex change. Prince argues that transvestism can have a healthy and accepted place within heterosexual relationships, especially considering that men who dress as women may approach femininity with increased respect and understanding. She backs up her argument with a series of letters from women in relationships with cross-dressers, who explain their individual experiences, fears and anxieties, journeys to understanding, and eventual happiness after learning about and accepting their partners' transvestism. Very good condition. An early examination of cross-dressing in heterosexual relationships by trans activist Virginia Prince.

Item #20769

Price: $245.00